Research: 2013 Healthcare IT Priorities

Richard Hoffman03/02/13

Innovation Competes With Regulation

Healthcare IT priorities have remained remarkably consistent year over year among respondents to our InformationWeek 2013 Healthcare IT Priorities Survey, even as we see rapid change in the industry overall. Our take is that many healthcare IT pros are up to their necks in alligators and have lost sight of their initial objective: Drain the swamp.

This lack of movement doesn't bode well for healthcare IT. Peers in other sectors are moving ahead with new technologies and innovations that could, if implemented correctly and with sound strategic planning, help drive the transformational improvements in efficiency, outcomes and cost savings that the healthcare industry so desperately needs. Instead, IT teams are in many cases stretched so thin that opportunities for genuine transformation could easily be squandered.

In a more positive light, it is often times of greatest stress and chaos that the most profound and far-reaching change is possible, at least for those who can keep their heads above water.

Among the 451 respondents to our InformationWeek 2013 Healthcare IT Priorities Survey:

>> 64% of the 363 respondents working at a doctor's practice, hospital, healthcare center or other healthcare provider have enabled patient Web access to personal health records, or will within 24 months.>> 54% of these respondents say their security software meets federal Meaningful Use requirements.>> 27% have clinicians using social media (online medical forums, Facebook, Twitter) to collaborate with patients.>> 51% of 333 healthcare provider respondents who are piloting, evaluating, will complete or have already completed EMR or EHR initiatives are very confident about meeting the second stage of Meaningful Use; 15% either don't know (11%) or say they will miss the deadline (4%).>> 18% of 68 healthcare provider respondents not planning to qualify as accountable care organizations say the initial capital investment is too high; 57% blame inconsistency with their business strategies.

Respondent breakdown: 30% work in hospitals or hospital groups; 13% work for insurers. Half, 49%, have 1,000 or more employees in their organizations; 18% have 10,000 or more, compared with 24% that have fewer than 100. (R6430413)